The Communication Leader Session

The Communication Leader Session is a week-long strategic communication curriculum focused on how communication leaders can improve their leadership and enhance the capability of their function. The ideal candidate is a leader of a communication team, department, or function, and while the curriculum emphasizes communication within the walls of the organization, external communication professionals are welcome and will get value from the course. Enrollees will attend classes between the evening of Sunday, June 9th and late morning of Friday, June 14th, and to encourage individual development and coaching, we limit participation to 20.

Across more than 20 hours of instruction, Carolynne Thomas and Ben Stringfellow will lead a developmental discussion across five areas:

• Understanding Communication as Science
• Creating Value
• Working with Internal and External Counterparts
• Managing Work
• Leading Others

The course focuses on strategic frameworks and day-to-day tools and behaviors. It is not an “out of the box program,” and the topics of discussion within these five areas will reflect the specific roles and challenges of the enrolled cohort. That said, enrollees should expect specific learning and practical counsel across a subset of these topics:

• On becoming an admired leader
• What you should learn from cognitive neuroscientists about affecting personal and organizational change
• Taking a communication perspective to leadership
• Five axioms of leadership and organizational communication
• The three dominant leadership communication styles
• Building corporate narratives
• Integrating mission, values, vision, and strategy
• Crafting messages of strategic intent
• Creating strategic action
• Designing novel communication plans
• Building social capital for the function
• Managing and securing budget
• Narrowcasting and the art of stakeholder management
• Cultivating personal and professional advocates
• Becoming peer-like with senior leaders
• Establishing advisory relationships
• Communicating up
• Coaching senior leaders
• The difference between performance and developmental reviews
• Coaching subordinates
• Parasocial interaction and the principles of executive visibility
• Building strong internal partnerships
• Using consultants for effect
• Driving accountability
• Principles of organization design
• Creating clear role definitions
• Advocating for ideas
• Scoping communication opportunities
• Managing personal workflow
• Project management for communication professionals
• Audience analysis: The seven questions we always ask
• Communication post mortems as a means of continuous improvement
• Air Traffic Control: A process for surfacing, tracking, and completing communication opportunities
• Motivating and inspiring others
• Projecting executive presence

Tuition, which includes all materials, meals (less alcohol), activities, and accommodations, is $9,000. For admission information or to enroll, please contact our Event Coordinator at 610-644-5597 or events@crainc.com.